[ayaghmour2]

Draft is live, with Les Ledbetter going #1 to the Wolves as expected, and the guy I wanted, shortstop Irv Clifford, going to the Miners at two. I made a few big offers, but they wanted to keep the pick. I could trade down, as there are a lot of guys I really like and am more or less split on, but I still expect to make the pick at five.

We also have a few transactions to go through as well. I will no longer have to release Jim Beard, as he was claimed by the Miners and they will be on the hook for his $23,100 salary. "The Flatbush Flash" spent one season in Chicago, hitting .190/.346/.286 (83 OPS+) with 2 doubles, a triple, and 3 RBIs in 78 games. In those 78 games, he started just one, and made only 54 trips to the plate, coming on frequently for Hank Barnett as a defensive sub. He will now join former Cougar Johnny McDowell, who has spent the last four plus seasons at third, and was selected to the All-Star game in each season from 1943 to 1945. McDowell hit .316/.349/.396 (106 OPS+) last season and .326/.369/.399 (123 OPS+) as a Miner, so you have to imagine his starting spot is safe.

We also added some minor league depth, claiming 24-year-old reliever Al Winn off waivers from the Sailors. He has a minor league contract, so we do not have to put him on the 40, and he can be used as minor league pen depth. Originally a 6th Round Pick of the Kings, Winn spent most of his time in AAA, throwing 41.1 innings for the Richmond Rebels. It didn't go great, as he had a 5.01 ERA (84 ERA+) and 1.84 WHIP with more walks (27) then strikeouts (18). I think he was overmatched there, and I expect him to start in AA Mobile for us. He's a sinker-baller who sits in the 89-91 range and produces plenty of groundballs. The 6'3'' righty also gets plenty of movement on all his pitches, with a decent curve and mediocre change to compliment the sinker. He doesn't use the change very often, and his sinker/curve combo could be enough in an inning or two.

I also learned something new today, we have Personality ratings on, so I was just guessing based on the personality blurbs on the player page. Turns out I can just see that Joe Brown has "High" (top rank) leadership and work ethic, something I already knew, or Harry Parker and Billy Hunter's work ethic was "Low" (bottom rank). Turns out Skipper is low too. I always knew he was a little lazy, despite literally being the best shortstop in the game, but it's a little sad seeing it in real life. I mean, how much better could a guy who's started over 1,000 FABL games before his 26th birthday. And he's approaching 50 WAR, already top 10 (6th, 47.7) in Cougars history. Imagine if he actually tried to be good at baseball!

LHP Duke Bybee (#4 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 4th Round, 49th Overall (1940)
AAA: 14-6,175.1 IP, 2.05 ERA (190 ERA+), 1.12 WHIP, 40 BB, 100 K
CWL: 2-5, 61 IP, 3.54 ERA (106 ERA+), 1.18 WHIP, 15 BB, 41 K

It's bad enough that he hasn't quite dominated the league, but now the Stallions aren't scoring runs for Duke Bybee. Most days, and especially in Chicago, 9 innings with just 3 earned runs is good enough to win you a ballgame. Instead, Gothams lefty Jerry Decker (3-4, 4.17, 39) matched that, sending the game in extras. Neither team scored in the tenth, but eventually Bybee fell apart in the 11th, as Sailor prospect turned Miner Rule-5 Pick Al Sturdivant (.243, 1, 10), who was on my list, hit a two-out, three-run blast to give the Hawks the lead they could hold. This dropped Bybee to 2-5 in the Winter with a 3.54 ERA (106 ERA+) and 41 strikeouts in 61 innings pitched. The underlying numbers still love the talented southpaw, as his 2.55 FIP (67 FIP-) is fifth among starting pitchers and no qualified arm has a higher K/BB then his 2.7. Traditional numbers aside, I'm psyched with how Bybee has pitched, and it makes me more and more excited to see him start games in 1947. I'm going to take it easy with him, and he's going to open as the #6 starter, but that's where Johnnie Jones (10-14, 2.64, 88) was and he'll start next season as the #3. The sky is the limit for this youngster, and if he has a big season, we may finally break the longest title drought in Cougar history.

3B Otto Christian (#50 Overall)
Acquired: Via Draft: 1st Round, 13th Overall (1941)
AA: ..277/.339/.400 (106 OPS+), 519 PA, 19 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 65 RBI
CWL: .245/.385/.481 (145 OPS+), 130 PA, 2B, 8 HR, 29 RBI

Otto Christian has gone on a rampage, as the 24-year-old slugger has hit three homers in his last nine at bats, including two in a 6-3 loss to the Holguin Hawks. "The Walla Walla Walloper" has now surpassed Eagles first basemen Maurice Carter (.299, 6, 25) for the team lead with eight longballs, and he shares the league lead with the Wolves John Fast (.235, 8, 26) and the Saints Gig Taylor (.263, 8, 29, 2). Otto's power surge has upped his season line to .245/.385/.481 (145 OPS+) and he has a 150 WRC+ with 16 runs, 29 RBIs, and more walks (24) then strikeouts (13). Known for his power, what has impressed most is the eye, as he's getting more comfortable at the plate after a three year tour in the Air Force. If he can keep his strikeouts down, that's a lot more balls in play, and he hits it high and far to all fields. I think he's going to love our shallow fields, as a ten foot wall is nothing for someone with his strength. This is a big year for him, as third base is one of the few positions up for grab. We lacked a true righty slugger last season with Hank Barnett's, and Otto is exactly the type of guy you want batting fourth behind Leo Mitchell.